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Trabajo presentado en Legume Science and Practice 2, celebrado online del 1 al 3 de spetiembre de 2021.

Trabajo presentado en Legume Science and Practice 2, celebrado online del 1 al 3 de spetiembre de 2021., Faba bean plays a key role in sustainable agriculture, given its ability to fix nitrogen. Rust is one of the most important diseases affecting faba bean. It is caused by the biotrophic fungus Uromyces viciae-fabae, whose windborn spores infect all aerial parts of the plant. The high economic and environmental cost of fungicides, and the scarcity of resistant cultivars adapted to the different agronomic situations make necessary to find alternatives for rust control. Crop diversification has been proposed as a sound option for disease management (Boudreau, 2013). We studied the potential for rust management in faba bean intercrops and in cultivar mixtures. First, we carried out four intercropping field trials across 3 years in two locations each one consisting of faba bean intercropped at 50% proportion either with wheat, barley or pea, in an alternate replacement system. Second, we performed four cultivar mixture field trials in which a resistant and a susceptible faba bean cultivars were mixed at different proportions (0–100, 25–75, 50–50, 75–25 and 100–0). A significant reduction of rust infection was recorded on faba bean when intercropped with barley but not when intercropped with wheat or with pea. Rust was also significantly reduced in cultivar mixtures, the reduction increasing with the proportion of the resistant cultivar in the mixture. Based on these results, additional experiments were performed on faba bean intercropped with barley seedlings inoculated under controlled conditions. Results confirmed rust reduction and suggested a barrier effect by barley as an important mechanism explaining that reduction. To further investigate the mechanisms behind disease reduction the combined effects of intercropping and nitrogen fertilization on rust disease will be assessed by experiments under controlled conditions.

Trabajo presentado en Legume Science and Practice 2, celebrado online del 1 al 3 de spetiembre de 2021.

Trabajo presentado en el II Spanish Symposium on Physiology and Breeding of Cereals (II SEFiMeC), celebrado en Córdoba (España) el 6 y 7 de marzo de 2019.-- Organized by excellence network AGL2016-81855-REDT., Introducing diversification in the intensive monocropping systems is an essential requirement to achieve a sustainable agriculture. Plant mixtures are a useful tool to bring about diversification and choosing the right components of those mixtures is key to succeed in this strategy. Legumes are a good component for plant mixtures, especially for their ability to enrich the fertility of the soil. They can be an ideal partner for cereals, both for their complementary ecological behavior and for adding highvalue vegetal protein to the final harvested product. In the frame of past FP6-GLIP and FP7-LEGATO projects we were involved in a series of cereal/legume intercropping experiments to study their effects reducing pests, diseases and weeds. Currently, in the frame of H2020-DIVERSify, among other activities, we are assessing yield benefits. We describe here experiments performed in Almodóvar del Río, Córdoba, started in season 2017-18. In one of them wheat was combined with faba bean and in the other one barley was combined with pea. In each of them, two cultivars of each crop were used in all possible combinations in a randomized block design with four replications. Proportion of crops in both cases was 50/50. Plot size was 1.2 x 10 m. Results from first year on the wheat/faba bean mixture pointed to an increase of up to 20% in faba bean yield, no effecting wheat yield. On the contrary, in the barley/pea mixture, the pea yield was reduced, while barley remains unaffected. This suggests that the proportion of pea should be increased in the mixture, what is being tested this second season. No reduction was observed on Septoria blotch on wheat, or on net blotch on barley. Trials are being repeated for a second season, paying attention also to weed, pest and disease suppression.

Trabajo presentado en la International Conference Advances in grain legume breeding, cultivations and uses for a more competitive value-chain, celebrada en Novi Sad (Serbia) el 27 y 28 de septiembre de 2017., Chocolate spot, caused by the necrotrophic fungus Botrytis fabae is an important disease affecting faba bean in many regions of the world where it is cultivated. Although chemical control is an option, it presents serious drawbacks in terms of economic and environmental costs, being the use of resistant varieties a better and more efficient alternative. Varying levels of resistance have been previously identified. In this study we used a proteomic approach (2-DE coupled to MALDI-TOF/TOF analysis) to compare the leaf proteome of three faba bean genotypes showing different resistance response to B. fabae. Multivariate statistical analysis identified 270 differential protein spots when genotypes and treatments (non-inoculated and inoculated) were compared, with a total of 89 proteins identified using a combination of peptide mass fingerprinting (PMF) and MSMS fragmentation. Interestingly a high proportion of identified proteins (13%) were proteases, suggesting that protein degradation might play an important role during pathogen infection. Results will be presented and critically discussed in terms of differences between genotypes in response to B. fabae.

Trabajo presentado en la International Conference Advances in grain legume breeding, cultivations and uses for a more competitive value-chain, celebrada en Novi Sad (Serbia) el 27 y 28 de septiembre de 2017., During 2016–2017 distribution patterns of pea aphids (Acyrthosiphon pisum) and predatory ground beetles (Carabidae) and the spatio-temporal associations between the two groups of insects were analysed in field pea monocrops and in field pea / barley intercrops. The objectives of the large plot trials were to find out if there are some differences in patterns of spatio-temporal distributions of the aphids and the carabids in the compared crops and if the spatio-temporal associations between the pest and the predator distributions can be influenced by the plant diversity in crops. The spatial patterns of insect counts (aphids, carabids –assessed totally and separately for the individual species) were analysed using SADIE. The tendency towards significant spatio-temporal association (p0.975). That shows some species (especially Poecilus cupreus, Pterostichus melanarius, Pseudoophonus rufipes and P. griseus) should play important role in diminishing of aphid populations during their development in crops and can serve as effective biological agents.

Trabajo presentado en la International Conference Advances in grain legume breeding, cultivations and uses for a more competitive value-chain, celebrada en Novi Sad (Serbia) el 27 y 28 de septiembre de 2017., Weed competition hampers the growth of crops and may bring about important yield reductions. Chemical control with herbicides is the most used solution although it entails several problems, such as the appearance of weed resistances to herbicide molecules, environmental damages or high economic costs for farmers. Intercropping may be an efficient alternative to herbicides for weed control. The introduction of another crop in the field increases biodiversity and may result in reduced levels of weed infestation. In the frame of LEGATO project we tested weed reduction in faba bean intercropped with different crops during three consecutive field seasons at Córdoba. The crops introduced were wheat, barley and pea, employing an alternate-row system. Three different experiments were carried out: in one of them replacement intercropping (where rows of the second crop replace rows of the main crop) was chosen; in another one, addition cropping (with rows of the second crop being sown in between the rows of the main crop) was employed; and in a third one, both methods, addition and replacement intercropping, were studied. Results have shown that addition intercropping achieves important reductions of weed coverage and biomass compared to faba bean sole-crop, being barley the most effective companion crop for weed reduction, followed by wheat and pea in decreasing order. On the contrary, no weed reduction was observed in replacement intercropping.

Trabajo presentado en la International Conference Advances in grain legume breeding, cultivations and uses for a more competitive value-chain, celebrada en Novi Sad (Serbia) el 27 y 28 de septiembre de 2017., During 2014 –2017 distributions and abundances of B. pisorum eggs and infested seeds were analysed in field pea crops with different structure: pea monocrop (v. Protecta), pea monocrop founded as a combination of two varieties (Protecta with delayed start of flowering + Cisterski with early start of flowering –the second one sown in 6 m wide strips located along edges with Protecta), pea monocrop founded as a combination of the same two varieties –Cisterski sown in 3 m wide strips located along the plot edges and among the 16 m wide strips with Protecta and field pea/barley (Protecta/Sirael –60/40) intercrop. In general the levels of seed infestation were not significantly lower in pea/barley intercrops than in Protecta monocrops. In plots where the two field pea varieties were combined, strong tendency for aggregation of eggs into the zones with Cisterski was recorded. This tendency was more pronounced in the plots where Cisterski was sown in 6 m wide strips along the plot edges. The seeds of Protecta harvested from the plots containing strips of Cisterski were significantly less infested than the seeds from Protecta monoculture even the seeds harvested from pea/barley intercrop in 2014 –2016. When margins with the early variety show width of 6 m and the delay in the start of flowering of the main variety (the variety which occupies the inner part of field) is at least 10 days, the majority (90 % or more) of B. pisorum females lay their eggs on plants located at the margins.

Trabajo presentado en la International Conference Advances in grain legume breeding, cultivations and uses for a more competitive value-chain, celebrada en Novi Sad (Serbia) el 27 y 28 de septiembre de 2017., During 2014 –2017 distribution patterns of pea aphids and larvae of syrphids (aphid predators) and the spatio-temporal associations between the two groups of insects were analysed in large plots of field pea monocrops vs. pea/barley intercrops. The objectives were tofind out if there are some differences in the patterns of the pest and its predator distributions in the crops and if the spatio-temporal associations between the pest and its predator are influenced by the presence of cereal accompany. The spatial patterns of insect counts were analysed using SADIE. To compare two distributions (aphids vs. syrphids) in the crops, SADIE -Quick Association was used. In intercrops pea aphids and, in part, syrphids showed a strong tendency towards aggregation on dates when the highest abundances of aphids were recorded. In monocrops these tendencies were not recorded. There was a tendency towards somewhat higher spatio-temporal association between aphids and syrphids in intercrops. In intercrops the distributions of aphids measured at the time of their highest abundance were also more spatially related to the subsequent (measured later) distributions of their predator. This indicates more effective localizing of the host by its predator in intercrops. Significant spatial dissociations between syrphids and subsequent (measured later) distribution of aphids were more frequent in intercrops, too. The spatial dissociation should indicate effective predation induced by syrphids in intercrops. Stronger and more spatially and temporally linked relations between the pest and its predator may explain earlier decline of aphid populations usually recorded in legumes intercropped with cereals.

Trabajo presentado en la International Conference Advances in grain legume breeding, cultivations and uses for a more competitive value-chain, celebrada en Novi Sad (Serbia) el 27 y 28 de septiembre de 2017., Broomrapes are weedy root parasitic plants that severely constraint faba bean (Vicia faba) production in Mediterranean basin. The most widely distributed species affecting faba bean is Orobanche crenata, although O. foetida and Phelipanche aegyptiaca are of local importance. Extensive and long efforts have been made by breeders, but unfortunately only moderately resistant cultivars are available to farmers. Here we summarize a series of experiments intending to characterize the resistance mechanisms involved in accessions with varying levels of resistance earlier reported. In a first rhyzotron experiment we studied the responses of six faba bean accession against O. crenata, O. foetida and P. aegyptiaca. A proportion of broomrape radicles successfully contacting faba bean roots might later become necrotic and fail the tubercle development against a Spanish O. crenata population. Formed broomrape tubercles might later become necrotic, mainly in the case of some of the resistant faba bean accessions to the Spanish O. crenata and to P. aegyptiaca but not to a Syrian O. crenata or to O. foetida. There was little effect on induction of seed germination. In an attempt to go deeper in the germination step a separate series of experiments was performed with other accessions allowing the identification of accessions inducing low germination of O. crenata, O. foetida and P. aegyptiaca, a mechanism that we consider most promising and we are combining with the other ones in our breeding program.

Trabajo presentado en la 4th Annual Conference of the COST action SUSTAIN, celebrada en Bled (Slovenia) del 1 al 3 de marzo de 2017., Ascochyta and Botrytis species cause major diseases on legume crops. Fungi from both genera are well known phytotoxins producers. Based on collaboration between CSIC and Univ. Naples necrotrophic effectors produced by Didymella pinodes and Botrytis fabae have been identified and characterized chemically and biologically. Their use in resistance screenings are being tested and will be critically discussed.

Trabajo presentado en el 15th Congress of the Mediterranean Phytopathological Union (Plant health sistaining Mediterranean ecosystems), celebrado en Córdoba (España) del 20 al 23 de junio de 2017., Legume crops, such as pea and faba bean, can be damaged by a number of diseases, but insufficient levels of host resistance are available in most instances. As a result, only cultivars with moderate levels of resistance are available to farmers. Two important groups of diseases are caused by distinct groups of biotrophic pathogens: parasitic weeds (the broomrapes) and airborne fungi (the powdery mildews). Several clearly distinct species of these pathogens are known (the broomrapes Orobanche crenata, O. foetida and O. aegyptiaca; or the powdery mildews Erysiphe pisi and E. trifolii). These pathogens can infect the same legume crops. Historic and recent achievements are reviewed for pea and faba bean, and compared with those experienced in other non-legume crops. Implications in resistance breeding will be critically discussed, with a special focus on potential durability of host resistance., This research was supported by the Project AGL2014-52871-R.

Trabajo presentado en la International Conference Advances in grain legume breeding, cultivations and uses for a more competitive value-chain, celebrada en Novi Sad (Serbia) el 27 y 28 de septiembre de 2017., Peas and faba beans, as any other crops, can be damaged by a number of diseases. Breeders have explored a range of strategies to exploit available resistances, that unfortunately use to be scarce, incomplete and of limited heritability. As a result, only cultivars with moderate levels of resistance are available to farmers in most instances. This is further complicated by the fact that several clearly distinct species (i.e. Orobanche crenata and O. foetida; Uromyces viciae-fabae and U. pisi; Erysiphe pisiand E. trifolii) can infect the same legume crop. Here we will revise current status of resistance in pea and faba bean to a number of fungal diseases and parasitic weeds discussing historic and recent achievements, with a special focus on potential durability.

Trabajo presentado en la International Conference Advances in grain legume breeding, cultivations and uses for a more competitive value-chain, celebrada en Novi Sad (Serbia) el 27 y 28 de septiembre de 2017., Limited biodiversity is a problem of modern agriculture. The generalization of intensive monocrops has entailed a loss of biological richness in agricultural ecosystems, which has originated several problems, such as reduced soil fertility or a higher incidence of pests and diseases. Two strategies to introduce diversification in our agricultural systems are intercropping, by mixing different crops in the same field, or varietal mixtures, i.e., growing together different varieties of the same crop. In the frame of LEGATO project we have tested during three field seasons both strategies to control two important diseases of grain legumes: rust in faba bean and powdery mildew in pea. In the case of intercropping, the main crop (faba bean or pea) was mixed with either one of two cereals (wheat and barley) or another legume (pea or faba bean). As for varietal mixtures, the experimental design consisted of mixing different proportions of a resistant monogenic variety with a susceptible one Alternate-row mixing was the system employed in both experiments. Results point to a significant reduction of the incidence of both diseases in the intercropped treatments compared to that of the monocrop. Both in the case of rust in faba bean and powdery mildew in pea the best results are obtained when the legume is combined with barley. Varietal mixtures also achieve an important reduction in the levels of both diseases in the susceptible variety. A proportion of 50/50 (resistant/susceptible) appears to be the most efficient combination, balancing adequately disease suppression and increase of genetic variability.

Trabajo presentado en la International Conference Advances in grain legume breeding, cultivations and uses for a more competitive value-chain, celebrada en Novi Sad (Serbia) el 27 y 28 de septiembre de 2017., Among the different fungal diseases that affect faba bean, chocolate spot incited by Botrytis fabae is one of the most important, causing in many cases significant yield reductions, being particularly damaging when high relative humidity and mild temperatures concur. Control by fungicides is possible, but it is not environmentally and economically efficient. The employment of resistant varieties appears as the best option. In the last years we have developed a comprehensive breeding program with the main objective of obtaining cultivars combining resistance to chocolate spot and adaptation to Mediterranean environments. This included screening large germplasm collections both in seedlings under controlled conditions and in adult plants in the field over a series of seasons and locations. Identified resistances were introduced in our breeding program and progenies selected for combined resistance and productivity. As a result of this process, now we have available a set of advanced breeding materials. A cultivar has already been submitted for registration and some more are in the offing. In addition to these applied breeding activities we are approaching genetic studies and have developed a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population that has been properly phenotyped over several seasons and genotyped using DArT-Sea marke rs to identify quantitative traits loci (QTLs) related to resistance. These results will be presented and critically discussed.

Trabajo presentado en el 15th Congress of the Mediterranean Phytopathological Union (Plant health sistaining Mediterranean ecosystems), celebrado en Córdoba (España) del 20 al 23 de junio de 2017., Modern agriculture based on monocultures suffers from a lack of biodiversity. Increasing the diversity of crop systems offers opportunities to improve yield stability, reduce pest and disease damage, and to enhance stress resilience in agricultural systems., This research was supported by DIVERSify project of European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program, under agreement No. 727284.

Trabajo presentado en el Second International Legume Society Conference "Legumes for a sustainable world" (ILS2), celebrado en Tróia (Portugal) del 11 al 14 de octubre de 2016., The employment of resistant varieties is one of the best options to control diseases in legumes, both in ecological and economical terms. Nevertheless, one of the problems associated to this practice is the appearance of pathogen strains that are able to overcome the plant resistance. This calls for an efficient and wise management of resistance genes in which diversification is always key. We have focused on the use of varietal mixtures to reduce the impact of diseases in two important legume crops: pea and faba bean. Two field experiments were carried out for each crop, the assessed diseases being powdery mildew in pea and rust in faba bean. In both cases, a resistant monogenic variety was mixed with a susceptible one. Five treatments were tested, corresponding to growing proportions of the resistant variety: 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% (rows of the resistant variety were alternated with varying numbers of rows of the susceptible one depending on the desired proportion). Disease severity was recorded on the susceptible variety in each trial. Results in both experiments show a significant negative correlation between disease severity on the susceptible variety and the proportion of the resistant one. Severity reduction is important when the resistant variety is grown every other row (50% proportion), reaching highest levels with 75% proportion. The dilution effect of inoculum due to the distance between susceptible plants is probably behind these results.

Trabajo presentado en el Second International Legume Society Conference "Legumes for a sustainable world" (ILS2), celebrado en Tróia (Portugal) del 11 al 14 de octubre de 2016., Despite their importance for the agriculture and the environment, the production of food legumes is decreasing in most of the Mediterranean farming systems. A major cause for this is the low and irregular yield as a consequence of biotic and abiotic stresses. Necrotrophic fungi, including essentially Ascochyta and Botrytis species, are among the main biotic constraints. Both fungal genus are well known phytotoxins producers. These toxins, belonging to different classes of natural compounds, are frequently involved in the development of disease symptoms. In this communication the chemical and biological characterization of the necrotrophic effectors produced by Didymella pinodes and Botrytis fabae pathogens of pea and faba bean respectively, will be reported. Furthermore, the studies aimed to identify novel resistance sources in the respective hosts in sensitivity assays will be discussed, too.

Trabajo presentado en el Second International Legume Society Conference "Legumes for a sustainable world" (ILS2), celebrado en Tróia (Portugal) del 11 al 14 de octubre de 2016., In the course of 2013-2015 abundances of pea aphid (A. pisum) and their natural enemies found on field pea plants, grown either as a monoculture or intercropped with spring cereals and some other legumes, were compared. Two types of trials were used: small plot trials and large plot trials. Pea aphid colonies in field peas in tercropped with cereals developed differently than in pea monocrops. However, the small plot trials showed different results to the large plot trials. In the small plot trials on intercropped plots pea aphid numbers were higher during the first part of crop colonisation, but the decline in aphid populations also happened earlier. In the large plot trials pea aphid abundances were significantly lower in field pea –barley intercrops compared to monocrops during the whole duration of crop infestation. Pea aphid colonies encountered syrphid larvae attacks more frequently in intercrops than in monocrops.

Trabajo presentado en el China-Spain Research and Policy Forum (Change in a Globalized World), celebrado en Pekín el 26 y 27 de octubre de 2015., Agriculture is facing the most important challenge in its history. The exponential population growth drives the necessity to improve both crop yield and quality to feed the growing world-wide population. While the mid-XX century Green Revolution based on world-wide cultivation of a few elite cultivars and abuse of chemical to sustain growth and control diseases allowed to improved yield, it also led to a dramatic situation of losses of crop diversity and resilience and heavy pollution of soil and water resources. Thus modern agriculture should also contribute to preserve the environment. One way to achieve both goals is the re-introduction of legume in our growing systems that are an important source of protein and present several benefits for the environments.

Trabajo presentado en la 1st General meeting COST FA1306 (The quest for tolerant and stable varieties - Phenotyping at plant and cellular level), celebrada en Gatersleben (Alemania) del 22 al 24 de junio de 2015., Drought is a recurrent challenge for agriculture around the world, compromising yields and even the survival of crops. Developing strategies to confront the lack of water is a key issue for modern agriculture, moreover in the context of a changing climate. Breeding plays a majar role in this situation, with the introduction of varieties adapted to more dry ecosystems. The identification of genotypes showing tolerance to drought is, then, of great interest. The aim of our work was the identification of genotypes of faba bean that might be employed in breeding for drought. We have tested the response to drought of genotypes previously selected for their performance under biotic stress, mainly diseases. A preliminary trial under controlled conditions permitted to define a visual scale for drought symptoms in faba bean, and to establish the experimental conditions for an optimal discrimination of responses. In a second experiment, a collection of 36 genotypes was assessed. Symptoms were scored for three weeks after the interruption of watering; relative water content of soil was also measured. Results have permitted the identification of a subset of genotypes presenting promising responses. The evaluation of physiological parameters as well as of enzymatic activities in the selected genotypes will be part of future work.

Trabajo presentado en el 10th Spanish-Italian Symposium of Organic Chemistry (SISOC-X), celebrado en Firenze del 17 al 20 de julio de 2014., Food legumes are annual and multifunctional crops with extraordinary historical importance for the agriculture and the environment of the Mediterranean basin. They are protein-rich and integral part of the Mediterranean diet. Besides, they are used for animal feed and fodder. Grown in rotation with cereals, they improve significantly soil fertility and minimise the use of inorganic nitrogen fetiilizers, contributing to a sustainable and environmentally friendly agriculture in the region. Despite their impotiance, the production of food Iegumes is decreasing in most of the Mediterranean farming systems. A major cause for this is the low and irregular yield as a consequence of biotic and abiotic stresses. The major biotic stress is represented by phytopathogenic fungi belonging to species well known as phytotoxin producers. In this communication we will illustrate the chemical and biological characterization of the phytotoxins produced by Botrytis fabae, the causal agent of chocolate spot of faba bean, and Didymella pinodes, and D. lentis the causal agents of Ascochyta blights of pea and lentil, respectively. For some phytotoxins. the relation between absolute stereochemistry and phytotoxicity will be reported, too.